Price for a summon
by black7kunoichi
Summary: They didn't know that Natsu also hated when she needed him. Despite his protest that she should depend on him more, the new circumstances forced him to tell her to only depend only on Loke. NALU Oneshot.


**Hi guys,**

**I know its been a while. I'd like to thank you all for being patient with my stories. My life is slowly looking up and I've had a hard time at work. I hope you can understand that much. Thank you for selecting my story.**

**Disclaimer: B7K does not own Fairy Tail. Just the plot of this story and the others I've written.**

**By the way. I was sorely disappointed with the last chapter of Fairy Tail of the 100 quest. Seriously Hiro. Lucy got burned from Natsu and it was the PERFECT opportunity to release some well-stashed tension. **

**AS ALWAYS – he just loveeeesssss playing with us. I was wondering also if he was the artist too. To me, it didn't look like his drawing. There were quite a bit of areas that seemed like someone else drew it.**

**Idk. **

**On with the story:**

* * *

Nobody knew her story.

Just like they always did, they would put on fake smiles and pretend that everything was okay. That it wasn't her fault. That all she could do was just brace the pretense and let them think what they wanted to.

Lucy Heartfilia – a mage that once belonged to Fairy Tail. Now, ever since the battle with Zeref, she was kicked out of the guild. She forgave them though. Because they didn't know.

They didn't know that she cried until her body was empty with emotions. They didn't know that she would look down at her gate keys and ask for forgiveness as many times until her voice was dry.

They didn't know at all.

"Lucy?" Loke asked as he watched his master retract her whip to the belt that hung around her waist. Ever since the blonde was kicked out, he was sorely tempted to consult the stars to rain down their fury onto the guild that once called each other family. Finishing the last attack onto the enemy, he called out to Virgo to dispel her gate as he could see the toll on Lucy.

"I'm fine, Loke." The blonde responded, but he knew better. Instead, he watched in horror as she gritted her teeth together. An obvious sign that she was beginning to feel her magic drain from her summons. Inwardly, he wanted to berate the blonde for being too reckless.

"Let's leave this. We'll finish the rest of them later." He called out to her but she shook her head stubbornly.

"No – I will finish this off."

Loke gawked in shock before snapping out of his reverie. Eyebrows knitted in thought as he tried to imagine what the blonde was thinking.

"You can't! There's too many! You're losing magic and there's just too many!" The blonde cracked her head to him. Anger swimming in her eyes.

"I said no, Loke." He remained quiet.

"Open – gate of the scorpion: Scorpio!"

Loke shook his head. He could feel Lucy's magic flowing loosely around him. Just in the speck of her magic, he can also feel her life force being drawn away. Just barely hanging and his anger increased.

This was all their fault.

If only they knew that what Lucy did, was the only way to save him, this wouldn't have happened.

He remembered it all like it happened just yesterday. He remembered the way Lucy just stood there whilst taking the sheer raw anger from the guild members. Their actions even became disgusting enough that they began to attack her. Not once hesitating. Not once stopping to think what the hell they were doing.

Instead, they just released all their fury on Lucy.

Loke was angry at her too. For just standing. He knew that Lucy can be quite stubborn, but just seeing his master, getting beaten down, huddling in pain when they continued blow after blow. He couldn't bear it all. Just as he felt that it should be enough, she had whispered something that drained all fighting desires from him.

**"Stop Loke."**

It was not okay. As much as he wanted to swoop into the midst of the entire mess, he stopped himself for Lucy's sake. But when they're attacks began to slow down and grow weak, he decided to step in and stop this insanity. Lucy had passed out due to her injuries. Softly, he collected her into his arms and stood.

They were shouting all sorts of words to him and Lucy. He didn't response to anyone. Instead, he just looked at them with sad eyes. The guild that he dwelt with for most of his time on Earthland, they were just bitter memories that he'll have.

"Loke!" Her voice tore him into reality and he realized that she needed his help. Without waiting a moment, his body moved to protect her at all costs.

The ground beneath moved and tore, the earth cracked as another immense magic power speared the air. A loud blood-curdling roar speared their ears and they all froze. At the shift of ground, Loke was pushed further from her.

"Lucy!"

The monster revealed himself. Much _much_ bigger than any foe he had crossed paths with. Bigger than Deliora. It had the most gruesome features that shouldn't be there. That shouldn't exist.

"Open - gate of the Archer: Sagittarius!" His head whipped to the blonde that was far from him. What was she thinking?! She was going to get herself killed!

"NO! Force them close, Lucy! You're going to kill yourself!"

"I need their help, Loke! How are we going to defeat him?!" She screamed back. Her eyes drooping as the magic that was being sucked to summon three gates and keep them open was draining her reserves quickly. Loke watched as the blonde tried to fight off the incoming fatigue.

"No you don't! Lucy please!"

"I won't give up, Loke! I don't care what happens to me – I can't-"

"I care, Lucy! I care because you're my friend. Please stop this." She responded with a small smile. Weak and fragile. Loke realized that it was just like her.

Without waiting a moment, she nodded slowly.

"Force gate . Scorpio. Sagittarius." Loke felt his hope rising. Slowly but surely. He was glad that he came on his own magic power. He watched as she placed them back in the key-holder belt and just discreetly, looked at him with a look that he didn't recognize.

That was – until he saw the black key that gleamed with overwhelming power. His hope was crushed in an instant and he opened his mouth to call out to her in vivid attempt.

No.

She doesn't need to resort to that.

"Lucy-!" He called out to her but the monster roared ferociously, cutting off his own. Loke watched as the blonde placed one hand on her heart. Lips moving as they uttered the words to condemn her fate. Like a thread that was barely keeping things together.

"Open – gate of the Etherious Demon-"Her body was surrounded by dark red magic spells. Encircling at her bidding. Black writings swirled and pressed down on her, caging her in like a bird. But Loke knew better. This was what he feared.

This was exactly why he didn't want the mission to be pushed to such an extent they she would need to resort to this.

He didn't even see it coming. The monster saw what the blonde was reeling and instantly short forward. Claws outstretched with the desire to kill. Loke pushed his body to her. Even though his limbs screamed to stop. Even though his mind was yelling at him for bringing pain to himself, his heart pounded and he just knew that he had to get to Lucy.

The claws just barely reached the edge of Lucy's nose when the arm up to the shoulder of the monster was completely incinerated. The smell of burnt flesh washed over with a disgusting, lingering dead scent. Fire encircled the blonde and the darkest magic power flowed like a broken dam.

"-Etherious Natsu Dragneel…" Lucy finished off before her body went limp. Her legs paralyzed as the overwhelming magic drained her strength. Tan arms with red scales caught her. Fire just at his fingertips. Long pink strands brushed over her form as he carried her in her arms.

"No…" Loke dropped to his knees. Horror plastered on his face.

"Luce?" A baritone voice rolled like velvet silk that made the spirit fearful. Especially if the new arrival spirit saw such injuries on the celestial mage.

It was just as predicted.

Without wasting a moment, electric olive eyes snapped to the monster. Without lifting a finger at all, the entire monster was reduced to ashes. The remnants just blowing into the air like nothing happened at all.

It was over.

"Lucy…" he whispered to himself. Watching as the demon that carried the blonde in his arms looked to the lion spirit. Its mouth hissing in a protective manner. Eyes were turned to slits. He was absolutely livid – no, _it_ was fuming.

That was the cost.

In order to keep Natsu in Earthland, Lucy had made a pact with his book. The book of END. To preserve his life, she swapped it with her own. However, his book was destroyed almost instantly. In the smallest time, she had just managed to consult the stars and they granted Natsu with a key.

Fairy Tail thought that it was very selfish of her.

They thought that she just wanted to obtain Natsu for herself. They thought she was the reason was his book and entire being ceased to exist. They thought she destroyed his book.

Loke looked down sadly, fists clenching as he felt once again, that he failed to protect Lucy again.

They didn't know that summoning Natsu was when she had no choice.

They didn't know that Natsu also hated when she needed him. Despite his protest that she should depend on him more, the new circumstances forced him to tell her to only depend on Loke.

They didn't know that at the end of the day, after the battle is finished and when the mission is completed, the two mages had sacrificed something to save the other.

They didn't know that Lucy's life span drops by a four years when Natsu is summoned.

They didn't know at all.

* * *

**You know what, I was actually aiming for this to be a Natsu-shows-up, saves-everything kind of thing. But noppppeeee – my bipolar heart always loves to creep over to the sad side.**

**Hope you all had a good one.**

**Lots of love,**

**B7K**


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